The Biology and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Forum Chairs
Forum Description
Hepatocellular Carcinoma is currently the third most common cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. The meeting will bring together a diverse group of senior and young emerging leaders in the field working in different areas of basic, translational, and clinical research to discuss the exciting new developments as well as define the potential strategies to address these enormous challenges facing us in the immediate future.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma is one of the few malignancies that has seen steady increases in incidence over the last decades. The obesity epidemic is expected to result in an exponential increase over the next decade not only in the USA but worldwide. Bringing together world leading experts in the fields of tumor genomics, tumor immunology, tumor angiogenesis, animal models, radiation oncology, medical oncology, tumor metabolism, and role of microbiota is expected to generate new ideas and collaborations and accelerate the integration of new and more effective combination therapies in the clinic.
Our goal is to bring together key experts in the liver cancer field who do not normally work together or attend the same meetings, given their distinct areas of preclinical and clinical research focus. A key and unique topic will be the geographic differences in Hepatocellular Carcinoma etiology, management, and clinical outcomes. Finally, we aim to generate a meeting report including a set of new recommendations, including key directions of preclinical and clinical research, under the coordination of the meeting chairs, Drs. Duda (IASGO Secretary General) and Dawson (ASTRO President), and to disseminate them via international forums, including IASGO and ASTRO.
Forum Summary
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ranked the third leading cause of cancer-related death, continues to pose a significant health challenge. HCC incidence is increasing globally, and research on HCC is relatively underfunded. Addressing this urgent issue, a conference on the biology and therapeutic strategies in HCC convened at the picturesque Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California, from September 28 to October 1, 2023. This event, expertly organized by Dan G. Duda, Laura Dawson, and Tim Greten, served as an open, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary forum for HCC experts. Participants included renowned and emerging leaders in this area, specializing in tumor genomics, tumor immunology, tumor angiogenesis, animal models, tumor metabolism, microbiome, radiation oncology, medical oncology, interventional radiology, and clinical trials. The meeting provided a unique platform for critically examining cutting-edge insights and discoveries in these crucial areas.
The discussions were both nuanced and tailored to the intricate biology of HCC, acknowledging the variety of underlying liver diseases predisposing patients to HCC and the diverse treatment modalities currently available. The participants discussed the most recent clinical trial findings and interpretations surrounding the use of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies for HCC. Furthermore, the Forum addressed the potential of novel treatment approaches, including cellular therapy and combination therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This encompassed considerations on patient selection, indications, biomarkers, and underlying mechanisms of action. In addition, the participants delved into the promise and the challenges of radiation therapies, such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), trans-arterial chemo– and radio-embolization (TACE/TARE), and their synergy with immunotherapy. A deep dive into HCC's origins, progression, and etiology was facilitated through extensive discussions, drawing on preclinical and clinical insights.
This Forbeck Forum marked an unprecedentedly intricate exploration, transcending the confines of individual specialized areas. While maintaining the utmost respect for each other's expertise, participants engaged in discussions surpassing conventional conferences' bounds. The exchange was intellectually stimulating, yielding mutual feedback, fresh ideas, and a shared enthusiasm that will catalyze future collaborations. Hopefully, these endeavors will make meaningful contributions to advancing therapeutic strategies for HCC. The meeting concluded with a pledge to disseminate the concepts discussed to the broader community through publications, to chart out new collaborative initiatives, and to propel further strides in the treatment of HCC.
Venue & Travel Information
800 Asilomar Avenue
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Travel Forms
Travel forms are due 30 days prior to the start of the meeting to allow enough time to plan transportation.
To help reduce transportation costs, the Foundation tries to group travelers on shuttle vans rather than providing transportation for single travelers. The times below are not exclusive but represent times that we hope to have shuttles leave the airport.
The Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) is the preferred airport as it is only 20 minutes from the meeting location.
- Arrivals to MRY - Thursday around 1 PM, 3 PM and 5 PM
- Departures from the meeting venue - Sunday around 8 AM, 10 AM, and 12 PM
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 2 hours from the meeting location without traffic. The Foundation tries to prioritize International Flights and situations where flying into SFO is significantly cheaper than connecting to MRY. The times below are for guidance only, and depending on the volume of travelers, we may add an additional shuttle to and from the airport.
- Arrivals to SFO - Thursday around 3 PM
- Departures from the meeting venue - Sunday around 10 AM
Travel Policy
Please familiarize yourself with our policies and procedures for travel. We truly appreciate you taking the time to participate in this meeting. As you make your plans, please remember that we are a nonprofit organization dependent on donations and volunteers. We do NOT pay for upgrades, change fees, incurred costs resulting from a flight change, transportation to or from your local (home side) airport, meals or other incidentals.
- Travel Confirmation will be sent out within 1 week of the meeting. This will include a hotel confirmation number, if there is one, and airport transfer details. We have to wait until we receive almost everyone’s travel to book airport transfer. Due to frequent airline changes, we wait until the week of the meeting to send this out.
- Airport transfer is provided by Foundation staff, volunteers or arranged shuttle at specific times. If you opt to utilize Foundation airport transportation on your travel form, please be patient in receiving this information. We will send it to the week of the meeting.
- Speaker agenda is not sent out prior to the meeting. It will be provided upon arrival in the meeting packet. We do not tell people when they are speaking because we expect everyone to attend all sessions. Sessions are all day Friday and Saturday.
- REMINDER: We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling. We will not honor miscellaneous receipts sent for these expenses.
- Spouses are welcome to come with you at their own cost but are not allowed to attend the meeting. Please no children.
What the Foundation Pays
Accommodations and meals are provided by the foundation during the meeting. Airfare will be covered only if booked through our travel agent. The Foundation will also cover airport transportation on the meeting side at the designated shuttle times. You can select not to utilize Foundation arranged transportation at your own expense when completing the travel form. Once your travel form is received your accommodations and airport transfer will be confirmed. Please let us know of any food allergies or other information we should be aware of on the travel forms.
- If you would like your airfare covered by the Foundation, you must book with our travel agent. Note we do not cover upgrades, changes, late bookings, etc.
- Flights must be booked at least 30 days prior to the meeting to confirm your accommodations and airport transfer.
- As a nonprofit we utilize volunteers and other methods to maximize our efforts (or our donor support) when making accommodations and arranging ground transportation. Ground transportation will be provided upon your arrival either by a foundation volunteer or arranged shuttle. You will be provided airport transportation information the week of the meeting. We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling.
Abstracts
Abstracts are due 30 days prior to the start of the meeting to allow enough time to prepare the meeting book.
The abstracts should be only one or two paragraphs outlining the theme of your presentation and should reflect the objective and spirit of the meeting (see above). Abstracts will be circulated about one week before the meeting. The meeting organizer will start requesting them a month before the meeting.
Meeting Structure
The meeting structure has been developed over years of experience.
- Participants have approximately 45 minutes, depending on the number of participants, for their presentation and discussion. The presentation is meant as a conversation start and should last about twenty minutes briefly covering background information and areas that are new or need further input. This should be structured in such a way as to lead to a lively discussion. Participants are encouraged to interrupt to ask questions or start discussions.
- A MAXIMUM of 5 slide equivalents per presentation is allowed (Power point slides should not contain more than one graph or gel per slide and no more than 5 bullet points to stress the points being made by the presenter.) We appreciate cooperation with the spirit of this guideline. Handouts are welcome but should be distributed before sessions.
- Everyone is expected to actively participate in every session and discussions.
- The time spent at the meeting is relatively short, so please be familiar with papers received prior to the meeting.
- It is very important that you commit to all sessions of the 2 days of meetings.
Forbeck Scholars Participation
Scholars are selected for each Forbeck Forum. These are outstanding junior clinical or post-doctoral fellows selected based on the quality and relevance of science.
- Scholars present for 30-45 minutes, depending on the number of participants
- The same presentation rules apply for scholars
- After the Forum you are selected to attend, you will attend three years of Scholar Retreats held in Lake Geneva, WI. If you attend a Fall Forum, you will attend the Spring Retreat. If you attend a Spring Forum you will attend a Fall Retreat.
- Scholars are selected by the Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and peer reviewers selected from past Forbeck Scholars.
General Program
The outline below illustrates a typical program schedule. You will receive a complete schedule, including speaking times, the Thursday the meeting starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of our most Frequently Asked Questions. If you have something new to ask, please feel free to contact us.
- Travel Confirmation will be sent out within 1 week of the meeting. This will include a hotel confirmation number, if there is one, and airport transfer details. We have to wait until we receive almost everyone’s travel to book airport transfer. Due to frequent airline changes, we wait until the week of the meeting to send this out.
- Airport transfer is provided by Foundation staff, volunteers or arranged shuttle at specific times. If you opt to utilize Foundation airport transportation on your travel form, please be patient in receiving this information. We will send it to the week of the meeting.
- Speaker agenda is not sent out prior to the meeting. It will be provided upon arrival in the meeting packet. We do not tell people when they are speaking because we expect everyone to attend all sessions. Sessions are all day Friday and Saturday.
- Frequently airport transfer is provided by volunteers. Please be patient on receiving this information. Airport transfer will be sent out prior to arrival.
- REMINDER: We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling. We will not honor miscellaneous receipts sent for these expenses.